From the Editors: Tourism companies must follow strict safety precautions

TOURISM COMPANIES MUST FOLLOW STRICT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: The death of a 27-year-old female European tourist in a quad bike accident in Sharjah is an eye-opener. Her friend also sustained severe injuries in the accident in a sandy area in Al Badayer area. This accident could have been averted if the tourism companies had paid more attention to safety guidelines. They should not let tourists who do not know how to drive, use quad bikes. Incidents of jet ski crashes are also common only because the companies compromise on safety procedures. Authorities concerned must take note of such incidents and ensure implementation of rules in letter and spirit. [COMMENT BY: Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

WORLD’S MIGHTIEST NATION-WITH 25 MILLION COVID-19 CASES: It is scarcely believable but the United States, the world’s foremost political, economic and industrial power, has now recorded 25 million coronavirus cases and well over 400,000 deaths. By far the highest in the world. This means that one in every 13 people in the US, or about 7.6 per cent of the population, contracted the disease. What is worse, even this may not be the true figure, according to experts. To put it mildly, America has failed spectacularly to contain the spread of coronavirus. The new administration has to hit the ground running as it fights to stop the disease that has so comprehensively withstood earlier efforts to contain it. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]

POLICY ROAD AHEAD IS ROUGH FOR THE FED: With President Joe Biden in the White House, the last thing the Fed Chair Jerome Powell will be worried about is the barrage of Twitter attacks on monetary policy. That indeed is big consolation for Powell, but pursuing the right policy will remain a big challenge. After slashing the benchmark lending rate to zero early in the COVID crisis, the Fed has signaled a policy freeze for near future. When the recovery does begin, the Fed's main nemesis - inflation - is likely to flare up. Last year the Fed pledged to exceed its two per cent inflation goal until unemployment level is tamed, but over a period, that could come with the risk of prices overshooting the target for longer. [COMMENT BY: Babu Das Augustine, Business Editor]

UFC: UAE LEADS THE WAY ONCE AGAIN: The world of MMA was forced to sit up and take note early on Sunday morning in the UAE as American underdog Dustin Poirier took the legs off Ireland’s Conor McGregor before knocking him out at UFC 257 in Abu Dhabi. While truly putting Poirier on the map as a potential superstar, it once again proved that the UAE is a global sporting capital, hosting only the biggest and best athletes and events. From Formula One to golf, UFC to horse racing, and breaking new ground with tennis and martial arts competitions, the UAE is leading the way across the planet. They are also frontrunners at showing the world how to stage such events in a safe environment in this COVID-19 society. Golfers, fighters and tennis players have all spoken about the stringent but welcoming measures in place, praising the organisers and authorities for allowing them to get on with their profession with peace of mind. [COMMENT BY: Matthew Smith, Sports Editor]

LARRY KING’S LEGEND LIVES ON: The death of Larry King signals the end of an era as the 87 year old legendary TV and radio show host died on Saturday. While no cause of death has been announced, King was diagnosed with COVID-19 in December and was moved to the intensive care unit on New Year’s Eve. While the entertainment industry struggles to cope with his loss, celebrities, politicians and those in the business mourn a unique personality whose trademark suspenders and deep baritone were secondary compared to his ability to change the course of history through his powerful interviews. For millions of his fans though, King’s loss is another blow that comes in the wake of the pandemic. [COMMENT BY: Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor]